The pan-Canadian LOINC Observation Code Database (pCLOCD) standard is published as an Excel file that contains ten tabs. The four tabs that were edited in this release include Infoway Terms of Use, LOINC® Copyright, Nomenclature and the Change Log. This release contains the December 2020 update (2.69) from the Regenstrief Institute Inc. and any interim changes from the previously published release, which are described below.
Please note this is an updated pCLOCD January 2021 release, corrections were made to 2 codes with errors, for full details please see SR-242
1. There are a total of 38,321 records this release, up from 38,272 in the previously released version. This version incorporates all of the applicable LOINC changes in version 2.69 as published by Regenstrief in December 2020.
2. 37,422 records have been translated to French, up from 37,374 in the last version. Terms that are marked ‘Review Draft’ should be reviewed before they are used as the translation has not been previously published. Terms that are marked as ‘Complete’ have been previously published.
3. 101 records were modified in English for this release and are marked as R05.13.00_2.69
a. 9 records are of the change type Major for English changes.
b. 4 records are of the change type Minor for English changes..
c. 39 records are of the change type Name for English changes.
4. 49 new records were added for the English version.
5. 100 records were modified in French for this release and are marked as R05.13.00_2.69
a. 10 records are of the change type Major for the French translation.
b. 2 records are of the change type Minor for the French translation.
c. 36 records are of the change type Name for the French translation.
d. 4 corrections were made to Viewer Names
6. 48 new records were added for the French version.
7. Both languages contain a number of codes that only have changes in the other language; those are identified as ‘No Change’.
Of specific interest in this release , current implementers may want to review these changes:
- LOINC terms related to SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 testing continues to be the primary focus during release cycles. Working closely with Canadian implementers and Regenstrief team we have ensured timely processing of LOINC content requests for SARS-CoV-2 laboratory tests. 21 new terms reporting on the pandemic virus, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) are published in January 2021 pCLOCD release.
- If your SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 LOINC term for testing is not listed and you need a code, please submit a Request for Change via Infoway’s Request Management System.
- Visit our frequently updated Standards Resource for COVID-19 page to find latest news and information related to all COVID-19 content updates for LOINC, pCLOCD and SNOMED International and Canadian editions. Be sure to check the newly added COVID 19 Public Health Terminology Dashboard providing access to all of the Health Terminology content developed by Infoway supporting the COVID-19 and related concepts.
- Spelling correction of "lutenizing" to "luteinizing" for a large number of terms.
- Resulting from a Canadian request for change, LOINC changed Component naming of "Norvenlafaxine" to "O-desmethylvenlafaxine" to clarify the form of this analyte that is measured in assays.
A number of changes were not identified as R05.13.00_2.69, they are based on community input and internal review which includes:
25 terms required TALLMAN lettering corrections to Component, Pan-Canadian Compenent Name, pan-Canadian Name and Example Viewer. The TALLMAN lettering for drugs is based on recommendations from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices and ISMP Canada, please see the new list of LOINC Terms with edits to TALLMAN lettering to identify the changes.
- 2 terms required Example Unit or Recommended Canadian Unit corrections, inconsistencies found between these fields. Please see list of terms to identify the changes. A more extensive review of inconsistencies between Example Unit and Recommended Canadian Unit is being conducted.
- LOINC Updated the Long Common Name and Short Name for most terms with System XXX to include "Specimen" and "Spec" instead of "Unspecified specimen" and "XXX", respectively. For example, the Long Common Name for 80614-1 was changed from "Baclofen [Moles/volume] in Unspecified specimen" to "Baclofen [Moles/volume] in Specimen". This change is meant to avoid confusion around the use of "Unspecified" because at the point of resulting, the specimen is not unspecified, but rather is specified elsewhere with the result. This change was approved by the Laboratory LOINC Committee in October 2020.